Jim Higgins MEP for Ireland north west today urged the government to ensure it applies for funding from the EU Solidarity Fund before the January 27 deadline passes.
Speaking in Strasbourg, where the European Parliament is in session this week, Jim Higgins said: “As part of a delegation of Irish MEPs, I met with the outgoing commissioner for Regional Development back in November, when the floods were severely affecting many communities across large parts of Ireland.”
There are various criteria which have to be met in order to qualify for the funding. One of these is that member states must lodge an application for funding within 10 weeks of the disaster first occurring.
Since the fund was set up, following the severe floods in Central Europe in the summer of 2002, the EUSF has helped more than 20 member states by providing €1.5 billion in funding support.
“The government has a duty to the people of Ireland to ensure that it does everything in its power access the funding. As I understand it the matter is still under consideration in Dublin. I want to see action taken as soon as possible by the government in order to secure this much needed support to help rebuild devastated communities,” said Mr Higgins.
“The challenge now is to help communities across the country to rebuild and try to move on from these traumatic events. It would be scandalous if the possibility of EU monies passes us by, simply because of Government inaction in failing to meet the deadline,” Mr Higgins concluded.
